Monday afternoon’s game between the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox has been postponed for “security reasons” following the police shooting of Daunte Wright on Sunday night.
“Out of respect for the tragic events that took place at Brooklyn Center yesterday, and based on the additional details in this changing situation, the Minnesota Twins have decided it is in the best interest of our fans, staff, players and the community to today’s game. ”the twins said in a statement
The decision to postpone the game was made by the Twins after consulting with Major League Baseball, in addition to local and state officials.
Wright, a 20-year-old black man, died Sunday after a police officer shot him in a suburb of Brooklyn Center during a traffic stop. The Brooklyn Center police chief said the shooting was accidental, as the officer involved planned to fire a tranquilizer gun and not a handgun during a fight with Wright. Police tried to arrest him on the basis of an outstanding warrant.
Tensions were already high in the city over the ongoing trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd.
Protests related to Wright’s shooting are planned in downtown Minneapolis, where Target Field, the home of the Twins, is located. Prior to the announcement of the postponement, both teams had taken to the field to warm up, with the national anthem already played.
This report uses information from The Associated Press.